Jaitley asks Rahul about "illicit" relationships of Cong men

Amritsar, Apr 12: Accusing

of breaching the unstated code of Indian politics by making

's marriage a political issue, Arun Jaitley today launched a no holds barred counter-attack, saying how can Gandhi be disturbed by a disclosure of a "legitimate" relationship when "many" of his partymen have "illicit" relationships.

"Indian politics has an unstated code of conduct. Ordinarily, we don't drag families and ladies into controversy. Rahul Gandhi is guilty of breaching that code.", he said.

The BJP leader also apparently took a personal jibe at Gandhi, saying he must remember that the disturbed matrimonial relationship of a former prime minister was never a political issue and and added that Gandhi had shown his "immaturity and desperation" by raking up the issue of Modi's marriage.

Ordinarily, we don't drag families and ladies into controversy: Jaitley

"He must remember that the disturbed matrimonial relationship of a former Indian Prime Minister was never a political issue. "Devoid of serious political issues and understanding of those issues, Rahul Gandhi has reflected his immaturity and desperation by making the ‘Modi marriage’ as a political issue," Jaitley said in an article.

"How many current senior Congressmen are in illicit relationships and yet have paraded their wives only for photo opportunities during nominations. Surely if people have a right to know about the "legal" relationship of Modi, they also have a right to know about the illicit relationships of Congressmen. The latter is more relevant for people's right to know about the ethics of their candidates," he said.

Coming out in support of Narendra Modi for making a "truthful" disclosure, he asked since when has declaration of a lawful relationship, whether acted upon or not, become a political issue? Jaitley later said, "There are many people who are in illicit relationship in politics in Rahul Gandhi's party.... Has he asked them to make a disclosure of their relationships. So if he is not doing all that, how is he disturbed that Modi has made a disclosue of a legitimate relationship. People then also have a right to know about the illicit relationships."

PTI